5 potential destinations for disgruntled 49er Aiyuk

All-Pro wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk reportedly requested a trade Tuesday after failed contract negotiations with the San Francisco 49ers, who apparently haven't been willing to negotiate a new deal with the star pass-catcher since May.

The Niners reportedly don't intend to deal Aiyuk despite his request, but moving the 26-year-old could be the 49ers' best option in the short and long term with both sides still far apart. He has only one year left on his rookie contract.

Keeping Aiyuk remains the most likely scenario for the Niners. But if they decide to move on from their 2020 first-round pick, here are the top five potential destinations:

Pittsburgh Steelers

Aiyuk mentioned the Steelers last month as one of two teams he could potentially see himself playing for. This would make a lot of sense for Pittsburgh, which saw Aiyuk put on a show in Week 1 last year with eight catches, 129 yards, and two touchdowns in Pennsylvania.

The Steelers need to add an established and explosive receiver opposite George Pickens after trading Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers this offseason. If the campaign started today, veteran Van Jefferson and third-round rookie Roman Wilson would be Pittsburgh's top wideouts besides Pickens. Not ideal for a team that hasn't had a top-10 offense since 2018.

Mike Tomlin's outfit is set to start a new quarterback in Russell Wilson, who hasn't shown signs that he can elevate an offensive unit without a solid supporting cast around him. Aiyuk ranked second with 17.9 yards per reception in 2023 behind only ... Pickens (18.1). Together, they'd be a nightmare for opposing defenses.

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In addition, the Steelers should have plenty of cap space to afford Aiyuk, who needs a new contract and has a market value of $26.5 million per year, according to Spotrac. Pittsburgh is projected to have the third-most cap space in the NFL in 2025 at $89.6 million.

Washington Commanders

Washington is the other team Aiyuk mentioned in his recent viral interview. The Commanders are expected to have the fourth-most cap space in 2025 and currently have a major wide receiver need. Washington does roster a solid weapon in Terry McLaurin, but the team still lacks star power and depth among its wideouts. Jahan Dotson - whom the Commanders drafted in the first round in 2022 - didn't top 600 receiving yards in any of his first two NFL seasons.

There's also the Jayden Daniels factor, as the No. 2 overall pick played with Aiyuk at Arizona State in 2019. They're very close. It definitely wouldn't take long for them to get on the same page.

Crazy Stat of the day

This is Jayden Daniels former LSU QB and Heisman throwing a bomb to Brandon Aiyuk who just finished his 4th season in the NFL and recorded back to back 1k yard seasons from 2019 while both were playing at Arizona State.pic.twitter.com/GkkP6n9fyI

- Football Fanatics (@FFB_Fanatics) January 12, 2024

Aiyuk set college career highs while playing with Daniels with 65 receptions for 1,192 yards and eight touchdowns.

In addition, the Commanders' new general manager is Adam Peters, who was part of the 49ers' front office from 2017-2023.

New England Patriots

The Patriots, who tried to acquire veteran wide receivers on multiple occasions last year, have publicly inquired about Aiyuk. He'd instantly be the No. 1 target as Jerod Mayo's outfit awaits the right time to turn to rookie quarterback Drake Maye, this year's third overall pick.

The Pats have one of the league's better cap situations over the next two seasons, so meeting any of Aiyuk's contract demands shouldn't be a problem. This would essentially come down to whether the Patriots and their new management would be willing to give up premier draft capital - likely a first-round pick - in exchange for a talented but expensive wide receiver in Year 1 of a major rebuild.

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Julian Edelman was the last New England wide receiver with 1,000-plus receiving yards in a season (2019). Demario Douglas led the team with 561 in 2023. Aiyuk has topped the 1,000-yard mark in each of the last two years.

Los Angeles Chargers

The Chargers are in a unique situation. They're rebuilding and brought in head coach Jim Harbaugh this offseason, but L.A. also signed one of the sport's most skilled quarterbacks in Justin Herbert to a five-year, $262.5-million extension a year ago. Los Angeles can't just ignore Herbert's prime. At some point soon, the team will need to add new big-time weapons to the quarterback's supporting cast.

Los Angeles has traded Keenan Allen to the Chicago Bears and released Mike Williams in 2024. Left atop the Chargers' wide receiver depth chart are Joshua Palmer, second-round rookie Ladd McConkey, DJ Chark, and Quentin Johnston, who was one of the NFL's most disappointing rookies after being picked in the first round in 2023.

Aiyuk is the type of go-to receiver Herbert deserves. With his solid yards-after-catch potential, he'd instantly make the Chargers' offense more explosive and increase the team's chances of competing in the AFC West.

Buffalo Bills

The Bills have a complicated cap situation, but it's hard to find a more perfect on-field fit for Aiyuk than Buffalo. The AFC East club traded away top wide receiver Stefon Diggs and is set to enter the season without a high-profile wideout on the roster.

Among all the teams on this list - and, honestly, any club that could realistically make a strong run at Aiyuk - the Bills have an advantage at quarterback with Josh Allen. With four straight seasons with at least 40 total touchdowns, Allen is one of football's elite signal-callers. But his supporting cast in 2024 is as flawed as it's ever been since the former first-round pick became a perennial MVP candidate.

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Buffalo used a second-round pick on receiver Keon Coleman and signed multiple veteran wideouts, including Curtis Samuel, Mack Hollins, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling. None of them have Aiyuk's technique or refined route-running ability. He'd be the perfect replacement for Diggs on a team still dreaming about a Super Bowl run.

It's hard to see how the Bills would pull off an Aiyuk trade and then sign the veteran receiver to a lucrative long-term contract. But if general manager Brandon Beane thinks there's a way of making this happen, he shouldn't hesitate. Buffalo is the only team that currently owns an extra second-round pick in the 2025 draft.

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